Bridging Europe and Asia, the Black Sea connects many different countries and cultures. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine, and serves as a vital maritime transport gateway to the rest of the world. Its shores are home to millions of people and its ports handle millions of tonnes worth of goods every year. 

On the other side of the Caucasus mountains lies the Caspian Sea – the world's largest inland body of water. The sea stretches nearly 1,200 kilometres from north to south, with an average width of 320 km, and it is bordered by five states.

Both the Black and the Caspian Sea regions are covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) instrument of the European Union (EU), and at EMSA, by the BCSEA II technical assistance project implemented by the Agency. BCSEA II brings together European, national, and international stakeholders with the aim of raising maritime safety, security, and protection of marine environment standards in the Black and Caspian Sea basins.

The BCSEA II Action covers the following countries as Beneficiaries:

• Black sea region: Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkyie
• Caspian Sea region (assistance limited to capacity building and CSN services): Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan

The BCSEA II project is divided into five technical areas, with a communication component supporting each area, and an action plan which outlines each concrete action within every area.

Sustainability

Safety

Security

Simplification

Surveillance

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